Baskadia

Another tasty and nutritious vegetable native to the Philippines is Malabar Spinach. While real spinach (Spinacea oleracea), which is popularly consumed year-round, doesn’t thrive in warmer climates. In other regions of the world, Malabar spinach, or Basella alba, is a well-liked green leafy vegetable. 

This quick-growing plant is a twining vine with silky stems that may reach lengths of up to 10 feet as an annual, and even longer as a perennial), though it usually stays small in most environments. The dense, semi-succulent, oblong to heart-shaped leaves are green in color, glossy, and have a gelatin-like feel.

The delicious leaves (and shoots) of Basella alba are eaten in much the same way as spinach and have a mild, somewhat peppery flavor with a note of citrus. The young leaves may be utilized similarly to cooked spinach by steaming or boiling them and adding them to a green salad or eating them raw. 

You can also use this veggie to thicken dishes such as stews and soups because of its mucilaginous nature.